TeamMate Receives 2025 Mentorship Volunteer Award
October 2025 TeamMate of the Month: Albert Sparks
In 2011, Albert Sparks was matched with his first of five TeamMates mentees over the next 13 years and counting. He currently mentors Sevastian at Southeast High School.
The school facilitator at Southeast has watched his friendship with Sevastian bloom:
“When Albert comes through the door, Sevastian lights up.”
Albert knows firsthand how much it matters to have someone you can relate to in your corner. He has been deaf since birth, attending the Nebraska School for the Deaf in Omaha from kindergarten through graduation. Beside deaf peers and often teachers, Albert developed his skills and confidence as a member of the deaf community and honed his fluency in American Sign Language (ASL).
Albert’s mentees are not surrounded by other deaf peers and adults as they navigate school and life. Of course Albert has shared his language ability with each of his mentees, amusing them with his funny stories and life experience. He has held several leadership roles statewide in the deaf community.
Even more important to the students he mentors, Albert helps them to claim their place in the deaf community and learn ways to deal with the undeserved prejudices that deaf people encounter while charting a course to the future they imagine for themselves.
His facilitator notices the impact on Albert’s mentee.
“Having Albert to communicate with in sign helps Sevastian grow his sign skills, confidence and appreciation for ASL.”
Albert’s third mentee, Matthew, was typical, Albert signed.
“They are all shy at first.”
Later, Matthew would write a long letter of thanks to Albert that acknowledged this.
“I am so glad you were able to ‘break my ice’ as quickly as you did. I am a hard person to talk to because I am a very timid person, but after I met you, I felt more and more comfortable.”
Matthew ultimately attended the conference of the Junior National Association for the Deaf and became its secretary. He went on to attend Gallaudet University and received his Bachelor’s degree and recently completed a Master’s degree.
Albert advocates for TeamMates in the deaf community. He has recruited more than one mentor to our program to better serve the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students.
Albert’s dedication to others has not gone unnoticed. He will receive the ServeNebraska Mentorship Award from the Office of the Governor on October 3rd for demonstrating “outstanding youth mentorship” by nurturing, guiding and supporting one or more mentees.
TeamMates of Lincoln was proud to nominate Albert Sparks for this award and we are so happy he was selected and will be celebrated at the Step Forward Awards for volunteerism in October.